Mechelle Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mechelle Lewis Freeman
OLY

Personal information
Birth name	Mechelle Chanai Lewis
Nationality	United States
Born	(1980-09-20) September 20, 1980 (age 45) Fort Washington, Maryland
Residence	Raleigh, North Carolina
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	100 m and 4 × 100 m
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States World Championships Gold 2007 Osaka 4 × 100 m Pan American Games Silver 2007 Rio de Janeiro 100 m Silver 2007 Rio de Janeiro 4 × 100 m relay

Mechelle Chanai Lewis Freeman (born September 20, 1980) is an American track and field athlete. She is known for running fast in the 100-meter race and the 4 × 100-meter relay. Mechelle grew up in Oxon Hill, Maryland. She won two silver medals at the 2007 Pan American Games. She also became a World Champion in 2007 and was an Olympian for the USA in 2008.

Mechelle represented the United States at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. She was part of the 4 × 100 meter relay team. Her teammates were Angela Williams, Torri Edwards, and Lauryn Williams. Sadly, their team was disqualified in the first round and could not continue.

Mechelle's Early Life

Mechelle was born in Washington, D.C. Her parents are Eddie and Chandra Lewis. She grew up in Fort Washington, Maryland. Mechelle is the younger of twin girls. Both sisters were very active and good at sports from a young age. They played basketball and soccer.

During summers, they played in AAU basketball tournaments. In the fall, they won soccer championships for the Oxon Hill Boys & Girls Club. When Mechelle was in 8th grade, she easily won all her events at a track meet during gym class. A high school scout saw her and suggested she try track and field. In high school, Mechelle and her sister made a big choice. They decided to stop playing basketball and focus on track and field.

High School Sports Star

Mechelle truly shined as an athlete at Oxon Hill High School. She earned awards in both soccer and track. Her decision to take running seriously helped her become a Maryland state record holder. She held the state record in the 55m race for three years. Her best time was 6.94 seconds.

Mechelle also won the 300m regional championship. She was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for her high school indoor and outdoor track team three years in a row. She was on the Prince George's County All-County Team for three years. She also made the All-Metropolitan team. This team included the best athletes from Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia.

Her high school track team finished third in the county three times. They also placed in the top three twice at the state championships. Mechelle's 4 × 400m relay team won the state title three years in a row. In 1997, they came in third at the National High School Indoor Track & Field Championships. Mechelle also won championships at the USATF Junior Olympics. She competed for the Rising Stars track club.

Mechelle was busy off the track too. She was crowned Homecoming queen in her senior year. She also served as the Senior Class Vice President. She enjoyed playing in the band, where she mastered both the flute and the oboe. After a careful search, Mechelle and her sister chose to run track at the University of South Carolina. They both received full scholarships to attend.

College Achievements

Mechelle attended the University of South Carolina from 1998 to 2004. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in Mass Communications. She was a three-time All-American athlete. This means she was one of the best college athletes in the 60m, 200m, and 4 × 100m relay events. She held the school record in the 55m for two years with a time of 6.84 seconds.

Mechelle was also on the team that won the first national championship for her school in any sport. Her team won the 2002 Track & Field Outdoor Championships. She went with her team to the White House to meet President Bush for this honor. In her studies, Mechelle earned the Highest GPA honor in her freshman class. She had a perfect 4.0 GPA. She graduated with honors. In 2002, she was also named one of the "Top 25 Most Promising Minority Students" in the country. This award came from the American Advertising Federation.

Life After College

Mechelle graduated from college with high honors, earning a 3.6 GPA. She also graduated from graduate school with a 3.8 GPA. After getting several injuries in college, she decided to take a break from sports. She wanted to start a business career. She moved to New York City and worked at a top advertising agency called Young & Rubicam. There, she worked with big clients like Xerox and the United Negro College Fund.

After two years at Young & Rubicam, Mechelle decided to return to track and field. She moved to North Carolina to train full-time. She faced more injuries for a short time. But Mechelle recovered and went on to achieve great things. She became a double silver medalist at the 2007 Pan American Games. She was also a 2007 World Champion and a 2008 Olympian.

USA Track & Field Career

2008 Olympic Games

Mechelle was sponsored by Nike, Xerox, Lifestyle Family Fitness, and Young & Rubicam for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She competed in the 4 × 100m relay with USA teammates Angela Williams, Torri Edwards, and Lauryn Williams. However, their team was disqualified. This happened after a missed hand-off between teammates Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams in the semifinal race.

USATF Role

In December 2010, Mechelle was chosen for a new role. She became the USATF Elite Athlete Communications Liaison. She also became the USATF Athletes Advisory Committee Women's Sprints Event Leader. Mechelle was excited about these new roles as she prepared for the 2011 season.

Beyond the Track

Outside of track and field, Mechelle uses her platform called "Do It Afraid!" This platform encourages people to believe in themselves. It helps them move forward in life by facing their fears head-on. Mechelle is also involved with Athletes for Hope. She enjoys hosting and speaking at events. She takes part in fitness clinics. She also promotes healthy living awareness.

Her goal is to help people improve their mind, body, and spirit. She does this by sharing important knowledge and experiences. This helps prepare people to live healthy lives overall. Mechelle is also a certified Zumba Instructor.

In 2015, she started a non-profit organization called TrackGirlz. This organization helps mentor girls through track and field. It is a 501c3 non-profit, which means it is a charity.

Mechelle's Achievements

Personal Best Times

Mechelle has achieved impressive personal best times in various running events:

Competition Results

Mechelle has won several medals and competed in major events:

See also

• World Fit